说苑/湯問伊尹曰：「三公、九卿、二十七大夫、八十一元士，知之有道乎？

湯問伊尹曰：「三公、九卿、二十七大夫、八十一元士，知之有道乎？

Eric Henry

Tang once consulted with Yi Yin, saying, “Is there a way of knowing the character of the Three Dukes, the Nine Ministers, the Twenty-Seven Officers, and the Eighty-One Men-at-Arms?” “In former times,” Yi Yin answered, “Yao knew people the moment he laid eyes on them, Shun didn’t know people until he had given them responsibilities, whereas Yu based his appointments on previous accomplishments.

」伊尹對曰：「昔者，堯見人而知，舜任人然後知，禹以成功舉之。

Eric Henry

These three rulers, let us note, each used his own method to bring about the advancement of worthy people, yet they still at times fell into error.

夫三君之舉賢，皆異道而成功，然尚有失者，況無法度而任己直意用人，61必大失矣。

Eric Henry

How much more must this be true of those who use no system but rely on personal whim to make appointments—such rulers cannot but make great blunders.

故君使臣自貢其能，則萬一之不失矣。

Eric Henry

So we may say that, when a ruler bases his use of officers on their contributions [rather than first impressions], he cannot miss a single time in ten thousand.” The Selection of Men by Rulers